Wilder: Time to make Anthony Joshua fight, says American

WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder says it is "time to make the fight" between him and WBA, IBF and WBO title holder Anthony Joshua.

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has said the WBA has ordered the Briton to enter into negotiations with mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.

"This is the biggest fight in world boxing," said American Wilder.

"You mean to tell me that a mandatory is going to overshadow a unification world title fight?"

Speaking to Behind the Gloves, he added: "We would rather have this big fight."

Joshua, 28, added the WBO title to his IBF and WBA crowns with a unanimous points win over New Zealander Joseph Parker earlier this month.

Regarding Povetkin, his options are either to arrange a bout, vacate the belt or agree a deal that would see the 38-year-old Russian temporarily step aside and challenge him at a later date so he could fight Wilder.

A bout between Joshua and Wilder would result in the first man to hold all four major heavyweight titles.

Wilder, 32, has said he is happy to travel to the United Kingdom to fight Joshua but added that he thinks the Briton's camp may use the mandatory challenger as a way to "dodge" him.

"When Eddie wants an end-of-the-year fight, what he's trying to do is put another fight in place before getting to me," said the American.